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Q & A

Artist Bio:

Eno Laget (la-gay) is an independent artist living and working in Detroit, MI. It’s always been about efficient delivery systems.

Curator:

Joiner – Artist

Artist Statement:

CAPTURING VALUE in 21st-Century Detroit. Hope and love prevail here.

2/2/2017: “Porch Jesus,” a sacramental object for spiritual protection offered for sale on Ebay via #exstrange. For more than 3 years this chunk of concrete with a stencil of the Jesus face on it has sat next to our front porch steps. It had been my daily reminder to check ego and spiritual consciousness in this ambiguous world.

2/8/2017, 11:06 a.m.: With a majority vote, Jeff Sessions is installed as Attorney General. On Facebook I make a plea for bids on “Porch Jesus.” I remind FB friends that the buy-it-now price ($200) will go as a charitable contribution directly to The Southern Poverty Law Center.

2/8/2017, 6:15 p.m. I bump into a friend at PJ’s Lager House. Over beers, Jerry makes a $100 bid for the Jesus. He wants it for his porch in Corktown, Detroit.

2/9/2017, 1:23 p.m.: A buy-it-now bid, at $50 above the $200 asking price is offered on Ebay. The new bid is “too rich” for Jerry. The purchaser is Kate Lollio. She and her husband Tony live in Brighton, MI. Tony is homebound in hospice. He is a veteran. He suffers from ALS. He cannot speak. They have 3 kids.

2/9/2017: a conversation with a 3-year old posted on Facebook. Kate Lollio, 3:55 p.m.

Frankie: Momma, all the families have healthy (which she pronounces hel-fy) daddies. We have a sick daddy.
Me: You’re right. Some families have healthy dads and some have sick daddies… but I pray every day God will make daddy healthy.
Frankie: When will God make daddy be healthy?

I’m trying to hold it together, but what can I say?

Me: I don’t know, honey…
Frankie: .. because God’s not here.
Me: He is, we just can’t see him because he lives in our hearts.
Frankie: Oh… does he live in daddy’s heart?
Me: Yes, baby. Of course he does.

And just as quickly as the questioning began, it stopped.

What am I to say? Lord, give me wisdom to council my children. Give me strength to endure this.

2/16/2017, 1:00 p.m.; Delivery day: Kate tells me she wanted the Jesus because having it makes her home more of a sanctuary, an isolated but safe space where she spends most of her time caring for Tony and the children. When asked why she bid much more than the asking price, she answered simply. “I need to surround myself with things that are beautiful and give me hope. It was worth much more.”

Thank you all for the outpouring of love and prayers. It has helped! Tony’s vitals are doing well now.

. . . We came in due to distress from choking constantly on secretions and not being able to suction his throat well enough. (Drowning essentially) We were anticipating needing a tracheotomy.

3/12/17, 2:34 p.m. (via Facebook)

3/10/17 (via Facebook):

3/15/2017: Tony Lollio, above, went home today from emergency care at Veteran’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. More than 5 years ago he was diagnosed with ALS. Tony communicates with eye-tracking software installed on a laptop.

His family is making a way where there does not appear to be one.

Thank you, #exstrange for helping tell their story of love and hope in the name of Jesus.